Vanflyer

Perhaps, but at the same time its a mulligan, meaning if the team tanks in anyway, shape or form it falls to Blysma first (ie first head to role). I just don't like it because it gives no ability to turn the ship immediately other than personnel (UFA / Draft). That actually might be what ownership wants. Keep status quo behind the bench and bring in a new guy to get round pegs in round holes at the GM spot.

Good point about the experience. For me, it has more to do with the business side of things v. the personnel side of things. I think on the personnel side of things, he would be fine and excel. By all accounts, he is an extremely bright person, so I don't think the business side of things would take long. What I would do is bring in an assistant GM that has significant experience and does not have aspirations to be head gm, but prefers a supporting role and being with a winning organization.

Well stated. While I didnt pay attention to the call up replacement for injuries, you still have to be impressed that some nights a fair portion of the Pens rosters were ahl players. You and others are right that Blysma should be credited with making that work. From what I have seen and heard from Pens fans is that Blysma has a cookie cutter approach to coaching and has a significant lack of ability to make in game changes that work (ie square peg round hole changes).

I agree with this. Also, you can also be apologetic to the new GM and say "while you have the reigns, this is the guy we want for right now". Besides, everyone knows that for a GM to fire / hire a coach, he needs approval from upper management / ownership.

"Bylsma’s job was in jeopardy after the Bruins swept Pittsburgh last spring, but he was retained. This year, he guided the U.S. men’s Olympic team into the semifinals in Sochi, breezing through the first four games. Then Team USA failed to record a goal in two flat losses to Canada and Finland. Bylsma is not one to yell and scream, and there was a telling scene on the bench during the series when he and Crosby exchanged words before the coach patted himself on the chest, a gesture most observers took to indicate that he was saying, “my bad.” Michael Jordan was a superstar, but he still answered to Phil Jackson because he respected him. Joe Torre held sway with Derek Jeter. Bill Belichick can still do it with Tom Brady. If there isn’t an available coach out there who has the clout to do that with Crosby – Mike Babcock and Joel Quenneville are spoken for – the Penguins need someone who can develop that sort of relationship with Sid the Kid over time, because the captain is still just 26, albeit a somewhat crabby 26. Crosby has the best backhand in the game, but he whiffed on a rebound – and an open net – midway though the first period. Later in the same frame, he took a lead pass on his backhand and appeared to have New York defenseman Marc Staal beaten for a semi-breakaway. Then as Crosby cut quickly to his forehand, losing Staal’s check in the process, he let the puck slide off his stick. It has become a familiar sight in the postseason to see Crosby shaking his head, staring at the ice and moping on his way back to the bench after a failed scoring attempt. Take a random shift in the second period, when Rangers defenseman Anton Stralman sealed off a puck-carrying Evgeni Malkin along the boards. Crosby was circling to Malkin’s right. Then he circled again, turning his back to the play in frustration, allowing the Rangers to leave him and Malkin behind as they started an odd-man rush in the other direction. Not acceptable." http://nhl.si.com/2014/05/14/new-york-rangers-beat-pittsburgh-penguins-game-7/

If only the Bruins would trade Lucic to the Rangers would their be a snowballs chance in hell of the Habitants winning now. No Price, no victory. The majority here (me included) at the onset picked the Habs. I don't mind the one game hangover from the Bruins series but this last game was lackluster as well. Not to the extent of the first game, but enough to conclude that there will not be enough in the tank to come back. The rookie goalie did not lose it for the Habs and King Henry did enough to sustain win.

How can they get off their feet when their arses are so fat that they have to wedge themselves into their seat? Oh wait, that's Football fans. My bad. (no offense OR / Jammer)

Are we creating a hybrid sport?

Fixed it for ya. :-)

That whole concept is intriguing to me. Whats his connection to Pitts? Truthfully, if you were able to get him, I would see him stepping in as GM. He has nothing left to prove as a coach. The players he has in Detroit are just as good as the players in Pitts (perhaps better because of balance and his coaching). What would the incentive be to coach Pitts. Especially given the latest round of "malcontent" rumors surrounding Crybaby (sorry, I am still a Flyer fan first)?

Fixed if for ya!

I was at applebees the other day and the guy in the booth behind me was talking about how Miller was going to go back to buffalo. I was going to give him some credence to that notion until I saw him pushing his Lumina to get home. Oh, and if you have not tried it, the deep fried halibut is quite tasty. Get it with extra tartar sauce!!

Fixed it for ya!

I was thinking about this the other day. In Honor of our football crazed fans here (@jammer2 and @OccamsRazor), the requirement for a goaltender should be the same as a nose tackle or counter position (ie. at least 6'2 and 350 lbs). If they drop below the 350lbs, the food concierge (Mike York) will force feed them Nachos Grande.

To your point, lets also get rid of the "between the boxes". I mean those guys (cough Regis) actually think they are players.

I would opt for baby seals first. The selection is easier.

I am just having my morning coffee, and very slow on the uptake (coffee is only going to make me wide awake slow vs. sleepy slow). How much of your post is satirical so I just know in which vernacular to reply?

Interesting. I did not know that and feel like I stayed at a Holiday Inn. Thanks!! On the numbers thing (salary aside), I ponder (to your point) if that real life scenario in baseball translates to ice hockey. In theory it should (after all, numbers are numbers). I read that corsi stuff and look at other general stats and I think its much more difficult to evaluate a players value worth / ability within a particular team in ice hockey. Its allot like being an actuary on noahs ark in my mind.

Not really. The best you can do is train for strength and endurance in the summer and coming into camp. After that its up to the strength / conditioning coach as well as the head coach to attempt to maintain that level of fitness (ie. guys still need to go to the gym, they also need shut down days, proper diet, etc.). Crosby's situation might be improper diet. :-P

One of the two have to be calling the shots. I like the "Moneyball" situation. The statistician / finance guy wanted no part of the pressure of being in the limelight and responsibility. He appreciated being behind the curtain and getting acknowledge in a non-fair way. For me that is ideal. Now that said, part of that movie showed him (the stat guy) having to fire some players, but he did it at the direction of the GM and it was for political reasons within the room. Their is a "gut" part of that that the finance / stat guy does not bring. He looks at numbers, while the GM looks players in the eyes and watches them play. Its a ying / yang thing. Look no further at Gary Betteman. Knows a ton about running a business, finances, legalities, but jack straw about hockey. I don't want a guy like him in charge of icing my team.

Actually, I had a conversation with HF101 regarding this thought. It was a bit sour grapes on my part because my goalie got knocked out in round 1. But i had the idea that instead of 2 pts for a goalie win, 1.5 pts. It still puts substantial emphasis on the goalie selection (which is intended), while also rewarding the other 5 players selected. In the end, I don't care. I know its allot of work and am appreciative being able to participate. The thing that I enjoy about it is that it entices me to broaden my hockey viewing, regardless if I am a homer and tank like @jammer2 :-)

Thats what the enslaved seals were thinking as you were throwing fish into the bottom of their cage.

There is no place to go after that, but I instigated it.

So scratch my Malkin / Crosby for a Weber type and supplant it with Malkin / Crosby for 3 player and a pick. Add a UFA here / there and be done with it. Also, it would give you guys the cash to sign Niskanen (assuming the players coming back are less than 9M in total).